Chapter 21: The Art of Ice and Blood
The inn room in Dawnriver City was a modest sanctuary, its wooden walls adorned with faded tapestries depicting ancient battles, the air tinged with the faint scent of sandalwood and the lingering warmth of the day's tournament. The moonlight streamed through a small window, casting silver patterns across the floor where Lin Xuan sat cross-legged, the silver-blue flame dancing before him as he refined the Spirit Essence Crystal's radiant energy. The crystal pulsed with a soft glow, its power seeping into his core, a cool tide that steadied his nerves after the tournament's trials. His crimson eyes flickered with focus, the Celestial Unity Crest on his back glowing faintly through his dark robes. Rising, he knocked gently on Liu Yue's door, the sound a soft echo in the quiet night.
The door creaked open, revealing Liu Yue in sapphire robes that shimmered like a frozen lake under the moonlight, her raven hair cascading over her shoulders, her moonlight eyes wide with surprise. The Celestial Unity Crest on her golden coin pulsed in response to his presence, a warm hum binding them. "Senior Brother," she greeted, bowing slightly, her voice soft but curious. He stepped inside, the room's simplicity contrasting her elegance, and closed the door. "Junior Sister, how fares your progress at the 6th Layer Qi Gathering?" he asked, his tone gentle yet probing.
Liu Yue's moonlight eyes dimmed, a sigh escaping her lips. "It's… difficult, Senior Brother," she admitted, her hands fidgeting with the coin. "My phoenix shield falters, and my qi feels unstable, like a storm I can't control." Her vulnerability stirred a pang in Lin Xuan's chest, an ache tied to their shared struggles. He nodded, sitting beside her on a worn cushion. "Let me guide you," he said, drawing from the Human Emperor's Records. He taught her a breathing technique, blending Muay Boran's rhythmic focus—deep inhales timed with subtle body shifts—to stabilize her qi. His silver-blue flame crafted a pill, its herbal scent filling the room, and he handed it to her. "Take this," he urged. She swallowed it, and a surge of energy coursed through her, her aura steadying as she broke through to the 7th Layer, a soft glow enveloping her. "Thank you, Senior Brother," she whispered, bowing deeply.
Lin Xuan smiled faintly, then presented a scroll, its edges worn yet imbued with an ancient aura. "This is Icy Skin, an ice-type art, suited to your ice spiritual root," he explained. As Liu Yue unrolled it, the air chilled, frost creeping along the floor. She practiced, her qi resonating with the Crest, a snowflake-shaped mark blooming on her palm, its delicate lines glowing. Lin Xuan watched, captivated by her jade-like beauty, her movements graceful yet fierce. He entered the room fully, sitting cross-legged, and handed her another scroll, its crimson hue ominous. "This is the Crimson Blood Crystallization Art," he said, his voice lowering. "Forbidden, used by your father—or so I vaguely recall. It has three phases: Qi Saturation, Compression Ritual, and Crystal Blooming. It grants strength and durability but risks pain, rigidity, and blood burnout."
Liu Yue's moonlight eyes hardened, her trials with the Liu Clan forging her resolve. "I'll master it, Senior Brother," she declared, her voice steady. Lin Xuan nodded, leaving to gather materials for space rings. At the Wudu Clan apothecary, a bustling shop filled with the aroma of rare herbs, he sold pills and herbs for 2,000 spirit stones. He bought five space rings and materials—lacking a space crystal—for 6,200 spirit stones, using 3,200 of his own and 1,000 from the attackers rings. Back at the inn, he used a red forging flame, its heat warping the air, to smelt the rings, fusing them with a Lightning-Scaled Snake's core and intricate arrays. The process yielded two rings emitting red lightning, one enhanced with a protection array for Liu Yue.
Morning arrived, the courtyard alive with the chirping of birds. Lin Xuan, Liu Yue, Luo Shuang, and Liu Yang ate together, the aroma of steamed buns filling the air. In her room, Lin Xuan presented Liu Yue with her ring, its red lightning crackling softly. "This enhances storage, connects to my ring via lightning, and bears a protection array," he explained. She accepted it with a bow, her moonlight eyes shining. Returning to his room, Lin Xuan practiced the Crimson Blood Crystallization Art. His blood turned silver unexpectedly, a shock that alarmed him—risking art limitation. He reversed it, crystallizing red blood, breaking to the 2nd Layer of Qi Transformation. Estimating his power, he could defeat 4th Layer foes easily, 5th with struggle, and 7th–8th with Severed Unity, his crimson eyes glowing with newfound strength.